Visiting Durham
Jump to: Nature | Music Collections | History | Art Museums | Music | Dining
A great website for everything Durham: http://www.durham-nc.com
Looking specifically for things to do in Durham? Visit http://www.durham-nc.com/things-to-do/>
For up-to-date happenings in Durham, especially music performances or art exhibits, see The Independent Weekly, a local newspaper. http://www.indyweek.com
Nature
Sarah P. Duke Gardens. Image Courtesy of Anthony Doudt
Sarah P. Duke Gardens (free admission): 55 acres of terraced gardens right next to Duke's west campus. Easily walkable on campus, but parking is available off of Anderson Street and the Gardens’ main entrance. Great for a picnic! http://gardens.duke.edu
Duke Lemur Center: Largest population of lemurs outside of Madagascar. Tours last around an hour, and allow you to see a variety of lemur species. Tours by appointment only, so book in advance! http://lemur.duke.edu
Music Collections
V & E Simonetti Historic Tuba Collection (free admission): Featuring over 300 historic tubas. A must see! NPR featured this collection in a story from August 30, 2016: http://www.npr.org/2016/08/30/491068442/a-museum-with-nearly-300-brass-horns-youve-gotta-see-it-tuba-lieve-it. Open Tuesday and Thursday 2-5 and by appointment through their Google form: Visit their website for more information.
Jim Mill's Banjo Showroom: 1,000 square-foot showroom of Prewar Gibson Banjos owned by Jim Mills, author of Gibson Mastertone: Flathead 5-String Banjos of the 1930's and 1940's. By appointment only. http://prewargibsonbanjos.com/
History
Bennett Place (free admission): Site of largest troop surrender and effective end of the Civil War. http://www.bennettplacehistoricsite.com
Duke Homestead (free admission): Washington Duke's historic home and tobacco farm, complete with demonstrations of early farming techniques and manufacturing processes, special programs, and experts to answer questions. http://dukehomestead.org
Durham History Hub (free admission): A museum that uses stories about "people, places, and things to foster curiosity, encourage further inquiry, and promote an understanding of diverse perspectives about the Durham community and its history. The History Hub is located in Downtown Durham and features rotating exhibits." http://www.durham-nc.com/listings/Museum-of-Durham-History-History-Hub/1573/
Preservation Durham Walking Tours (Free): 90-minute guided historic walking tour of Durham offered on Saturday mornings at 10:00am. 4th Saturday of the month is the "Architecture and the Urban Landscape" tour.
Self-guided walking tours: Downtown Durham's Tobacco History. The walk includes the original plant for American Tobacco, now a one-million square foot entertainment district, with several restaurants and shops. http://www.durham-nc.com/things-to-do/features/tour-durhams-tobacco-history/
Stagville State Historic Site: (free admission) One of the largest pre-Civil War plantations in the South. Visitors can tour the grounds and historic plantation buildings and learn about Stagville's African-American community. http://www.stagville.org/
Art Museums
The Carrack Modern Art Museum (free admission). http://thecarrack.org
Durham Artists Movement http://www.durhamforall.org/dam
North Carolina Central University Art Museum (free admission) http://www.nccu.edu/artmuseum/index.cfm
North Carolina Museum of Art (partial free admission): a 20-minute drive from Durham. http://ncartmuseum.org
21C Museum Hotel (free admission): A contemporary art museum with both rotating and permanent exhibits in downtown Durham. The building is a converted Suntrust bank; visitors can explore the old vault, or dine in the restaurant, Counting House. http://www.21cmuseumhotels.com/durham/
Music
Beyù Caffè: Live jazz in the evenings. Check their website for current performance schedules. http://beyucaffe.com
Duke Performances
- October 20th: Ian Bostridge and Thomas Adès perform Schubert's Winterreise
- October 22nd: The South Dakota Chorale performs 'Marcel Tyberg Project: Music Lost in the Holocaust'
Motorco: Variety of live music offerings, local beers, and food trucks. http://motorcomusic.com
The Pinhook: More alternative live music performances. http://www.thepinhook.com
The Blue Note Grill: Bluegrass and a variety of live music. http://www.thebluenotegrill.com
Dining
Scaled $-$$$ in terms of price
By the Conference Hotel:
Guasaca: $. Venezuelan arepas. Great for lunch. http://guasaca.com
Local 22: $$. Gastropub with focus on farm-to-table ingredients with a southern flair. http://local22durham.com
Parizade: $$$. Mediterranean. http://parizadedurham.com
One block away from the hotel, on Ninth Street
A variety of chain restaurants (Jimmy John's, Subway, Brueggers Bagels, Panera) and local restaurants, both casual and more formal.
Saladelia Café in Perkins Library
Blue Corn Café: $$. Sit-down Latin-fusion restaurant. http://bluecorncafedurham.com
Burger Bach: $$. New Zealand gastropub. http://theburgerbach.com
Chubby's Tacos: $. Mexican taqueria
Elmo's Diner: $. A local favorite, serving breakfast all day and homey fare. http://elmosdiner.com/
Heavenly Buffaloes: $. Wings and fries. http://www.heavenlybuffaloes.com
Juju: $$$. Asian Tapas Bar. http://www.jujudurham.com
Monuts Donuts: $. Donuts & breakfast sandwiches. http://www.monutsdonuts.com
Vin Rouge: $$$. French bistro http://vinrougerestaurant.com/
Whole Foods: $-$$ Healthy and varied buffet available throughout the day. http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/durham
Friday Lunch Options on Duke's West Campus
Duke West Union:
Just around the corner from the conference venue, the New Duke West Union has a variety of restaurants designed and run by local chefs.
The Farmstead: $-$$. Farm to table restaurant. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/farmstead
Ginger and Soy: $. Foods from South and East Asia. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/ginger-and-soy
Gyotaku: $. Sushi. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/gyotaku
Devil's Krafthous: $. Pub food and craft beer. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/devils-krafthouse
Il Forno: $. Hand-crafted, wood fired pizzas. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/il-forno
JB's Roasts and Chops: $-$$. Slow cooked meat and potatoes. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/jbs-roasts-chops
The Skillet: $. Southern barbecue and comfort food. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/skillet-0
Sprout: $. Vegan and vegetarian dishes. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-menus-hours/sprout
Tandoor: $. Indian food. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/tandoor
In the Library:
Located just steps away from conference sessions, near the entrance to Perkins Library.
Saladelia Café: $. Sandwiches, wraps, salads with a Mediterranean accent. Also breakfast items, snacks, pastries, coffee and tea. https://studentaffairs.duke.edu/dining/venues-and-menus/perk
Downtown Durham:
A lively and award-winning restaurant scene may be found in downtown Durham. Here are a few highlights, many of which can be reached on the free Bull City Connector, which stops right outside of the conference hotel and operates until 9:00 pm Mon-Sat.
Counting House: $$-$$$. Located in the 21c Museum Hotel, includes a bar, upscale restaurant and art exhibits. http://www.countinghousenc.com
Dame's Chicken & Waffles: $-$$. A Southern classic! http://www.dameschickenwaffles.com
Dashi: $$-$$$. Japanese ramen. http://www.dashiramen.com
Durham Hotel: $$$ Features rooftop bar and restaurant offering panoramic views of Durham. http://thedurham.com/dining/
Luna: $. Empanadas. http://lunarotisserie.com
Mateo Bar de Tapas: $$$. Spanish tapas incorporating Southern ingredients, http://mateotapas.com/index.htm
Parker & Otis: $. Sandwiches & salads, http://www.parkerandotis.com/store/
The Parlour: $. Local handmade ice cream. The best in the south! https://theparlour.co
Piedmont: $$$ Inventive Southern fare with North Carolina-sourced ingredients http://www.piedmontrestaurant.com/
The Pit: $$ Authentic North Carolina barbecue, https://thepit-durham.com/
Pizzeria Toro: $$. Wood-fired pizza and Italian wines, http://pizzeriatoro.com
Toast: $. Italian sandwich shop with panini, tramezzini, and crostini, http://toast-fivepoints.com/menu.html
Tyler's Taproom: $. Southern pub food, large draft list, http://www.tylerstaproom.com
A Little Farther Away:
Guglhupf: $ For Brunch or Lunch. $$ For Dinner. Austrian bakery and café. Great for lunch and brunch! http://guglhupf.com
The Q Shack: $. Barbecue. http://www.theqshackoriginal.com
Local Breweries and Distilleries:
Bull City Ciderworks: $. Usually a food truck is there. http://www.bullcityciderworks.com/#modern-american-hard-cider
Durham Distillery: $$. Next to the Blue Note Grill. Gin and liqueur. http://durhamdistillery.com
Fullsteam: $. Next to several other bars, food trucks, and restaurants. http://www.fullsteam.ag
Ponysaurus: $. Always a food truck there! http://ponysaurusbrewing.com